(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heating apparatus and more particularly to a compact heating apparatus, for example, a fuel heating apparatus such as a gas, liquid or gel fuel enclosed or semi-enclosed in a heating apparatus incorporating a visible flame and/or a heating apparatus exhausting at least a portion of the emissions from the combustion into the room in which it is housed.
(2) Description of the Invention
Traditionally there has been a need for heating apparatus to provide a combination of heat and which preferably has the appearance of a traditional fireplace, without the difficulties and responsibilities which accompany traditional fireplaces. These requirements have resulted in, in some instances, fireplaces which are more conveniently fuelled with fuels such as oils, gel or gas, yet which provide artificial logs or coals to create the impression of a fireplace. While these heating apparatus overcome the inherent limitations of traditional fireplaces, yet retain the appearance of the traditional fireplace, in many instances there are severe limitations on their application in view of the bulk of such fireplaces.
In the past, where space is at a premium, visual flame heating apparatus have usually been made as shallow as possible to allow them to (a) fit into confined spaces, and (b) to minimise the quantity of material used and as such the cost of the apparatus.
One of the main factors limiting the extent to which a heating apparatus can be reduced in depth is the depth requirement required to approximate the depth of a traditional wood or coal fire with artificial logs or coals in a manner to make the apparatus visually acceptable. This problem is particularly evident in heating apparatus which employs, for example, two main artificial logs positioned substantially horizontally one behind the other on a grate or base as these units are usually of a similar depth to a traditional fire.
In the past, a heating apparatus incorporating visual flame characteristics and an artificial log or coal "fire" of a narrower depth than traditional coal or wood fires have not been able to attract a significant share of the market.
There is also a need in the marketplace to provide heating apparatus which are able to be mounted for operation close to a wall or other portion of the building and in certain circumstances placed within the wall cavity of a building, to reduce the outward projection of the heating apparatus into a room.
A particular difficulty of heater projection arises in small rooms, hallways, hotel rooms and the like, however, it has been found that in view of the close proximity of the heat source particularly to the rear of a casing for a shallow heating apparatus, there are increased problems of heat transfer from a casing of the heater, thus limiting the extent to which such heating apparatus can be close mounted or recessed into a building wall, particularly when such wall incorporates flammable material.
Another difficulty in the provision of heating apparatus is the normal requirement to provide a flue to an air space external of the room in which the heater is mounted so as to exhaust the emissions from the combustion. Residual gases and carbon monoxide and other contaminate levels in these emissions such as residual unburnt hydrocarbons creating an unpleasant smell may be too high to be normally exhausted into the room in which the unit is housed. The provision of the flue not only adds difficulties in fitting a unit to an existing room or building, but also exhausts a large quantity of heating out through the flue to the external airspace.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the above mentioned problems or at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Other aspects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.